I began to play the flute during the summer of fourth grade. One Saturday afternoon while over at a friend’s, my mother cut my play date short and, with me complaining furiously in the back seat, drove me to the DC Youth Orchestra Program at Calvin Coolidge High School. I recall my frustration even after I entered the building in search of my classroom. However, as I walked up the stairs to class, I heard a flurry of cascading notes, the mélange of sound bouncing off the walls and coalescing in a harmonious melody, and my annoyance disappeared. I became transfixed. I was suddenly filled with a fervent desire to recreate these beautiful sounds. Seven years have passed, and the humbling feeling I experienced that summer day remains with me even during the most trying of times. As I have delved deeper into this art form, I have found that it positively affects my life outside of the music room – in fact, my interpretations of musical pieces have allowed me to define and develop my personal creativity and to articulate my thoughts in new and innovative ways. Additionally, the many hours of required technical practices have made me more willing and determined to work towards a final goal, and have also enabled me to play in ensembles and orchestras as a team player who listens and works with others.

Throughout my years of playing the flute, I have learned to discern between good and great musicality. In order to transform a piece from good, which requires simply playing what is written, to great, which involves taking it to the next level of creativity, you need to become inspired by the notes and composer’s notations. This inspiration can only come when you invest a piece of yourself in the music. Once I have the notes at my fingertips and I know the piece by heart, I am able to dig deep, rooting for that one idea that speaks to my character and completes my understanding of the piece. Finding an interpretation that is consistent throughout the whole piece is an exercise that I can and have extended beyond the realm of music. In my academic and athletic pursuits, I take the instructions given to me by my teacher, and I try to be creative and consider alternate possibilities. Taking the time to explore all possibilities has pushed me to think through concepts in different ways. Once I have a grasp of a topic, I am able to express it in an articulate and clear fashion.

Leonard Slatkin once said, “Will you remember what it was like to be inspired by music, and will you keep that for the rest of your life?” When I am playing a difficult technical passage repeatedly and I want to put my flute down and call it a day, I remember what it is like to be inspired. I recall the feel of wind swooshing through the body of the flute, knowing that when it comes out through the other end it will be transformed into beautiful sounds, colors, and music. I imagine how it feels as my fingers fly and create coherent musical phrases, knowing that I can credit this to hours of practice instead of luck. When I remember what is possible, what can truly happen if I persevere, I turn on my metronome and continue. This dogged determination has also helped me in other facets of life.  For example, when I have almost completed a math assignment but am tempted to stop, or when I am playing volleyball but my body will not cooperate, I remember that it is important to exert myself and push on. I open my mind to what I can do and the opportunities become endless.

Nothing beats the feeling of performing with an orchestra. However, despite the joys of playing with fellow musicians, many difficulties can arise when you are part of a large group. Like any situation in life, sometimes it is hard to let go of your ideas and consider the critique of others. We are prone to cling to what we feel is right in place of what other team members feel is right, causing the cohesiveness of the team to unravel. In an orchestra, it is necessary to look beyond ourselves and to be accepting of each member – any alteration in intonation, tone color, or dynamic can throw off the orchestra and its goal of becoming a single entity. My musical experiences have taught me to become a team player, and this skill has affected my life tremendously. By working in a collective group environment, I am no longer limited to my own ideas but I am free to consider the ideas of others and use them to broaden my own horizons.

Throughout the seven years in which I have played the flute, I have developed into not only a better musician but a better person. Music has taught me to create my own ideas, to appreciate the ideas of others, and to keep pushing when the going gets tough. I honestly cannot imagine my life without it. I am so glad that my mother decided to interrupt my play date that summer day and introduce me to music because it has provided me with the door to a world that I have grown with and love.